The plan is to start the season in two weeks time with first round of FC matches. I will put up the team threads tonight, just so managers have a bit longer to submitt teams in case they are on holidays themselves. I will be going away from the 3rd to 8th of Feburary but I should be back if I have to sim matches, but if there is delay during that period thats why.

I will be simming FC matches again this season, but I am looking for two simmers to sim OD and Twenty20. Twenty20 is basically going to replace the old 2nd XI competition. With the old format we had too many databases floating around with 2nd XI and things got a bit complicated with large squads. Basically Twenty20 is designed for the board to assess which managers outside the 1st XI group are keen enough to become 1st XI managers. Basically the more active you are the more chance you have. Also by allowing them to manager Twenty20 they get to play with the top players in the game.

As you might notice there is only 11 rounds, compared to 10 each for OD and FC. With OD and FC in respecitve weeks, that mean Twenty20 may finish 9 weeks sooner. If there is a lot of interest then I may either continue that comp for another 11 weeks or have a Twenty20 Cup. I will decide on that later.

With the main Cup competition no dates have been set or format decided. I just want to start everything off before I organise the format of the cup. There will be a cup this season though.

Lastly as requested the matches will be emailed to managers instead of announced on the fourm. Later in the week I will post a list of email, which I need all managers to confirm in case I made any mistakes.

I think thats it any questions feel free to ask.

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Ok threads up for FC next week. I put Twenty20 a week back as it is tad unrealistic to have both databases FC and OD finished by next week. Also it gives the 2nd XI managers another week to come back. It is important though that 1st XI manager post sides in 2nd XI thread if 2nd XI managers forget.

Season preview

Auckland

A solid FC eleven, but without the grand stars and allrounders they remain favourites to relegate, with hometown seamers Bond and Martin the grand weaknesses. The one-day sides rely on Pollard and Chopra, two excellent batsmen, though they seem to be a bowler short and could easily finish last in this form as well.

Colts

A side with little match experience, gambling on talents from the Associate nations, R ten Doeschate (Ned) and R Watson (Sco). Likely to finish on the middle of the second rung. The one-day side looks complete on paper, even including Guyanese veteran L Cush, who has tormented one-day batsmen for ages. Change bowling could be tricky, however, and is probably the thing that Tamil Nadu will exploit to win the one-day title.

Karachi

A strong, well-rounded side in FC, though the side lacks a bowling allrounder, which pushes them below Yorkshire in the race for top spot in Division Two. The one-day side looks much weaker, though F Alam can provide useful part-time spin, and they should not challenge for promotion.

More teams to come later, if anyone likes this.

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Weak bowling line-up, with the exception of code convert B Marshall, means their only chance of survival is beating Warwickshire and Auckland. In the one-day side is significantly stronger, though the fifth bowler does not appear, which, like the Colts, means they likely won't challenge for the title.

New South Wales:

Dependent on rookie batsmen, with South African J Symes as well as American recruit D Quayle. Unlikely to do very much in FC; their one-day bowling is also severely lacking, with only G Roll a seasoned expert in the art, and only the presence of Auckland saves them.

Queensland:

Excellent first class bowling attack, with six men conceivably taking part in the rotation. All batting rests on 21-year-old J Jenkins, which is the main reason they're as far down as fourth on the first class ladder. The one-day batting, where a quickie might be rested in order to shore up the lower order, is also keeping them from a title challenge there; they'll be lucky to survive the dogfight with Victoria and Warwickshire.

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